


For These Two Men (The 37,000 Foot Remix)

by afrocurl



Series: remixes and such [19]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Calm Down Erik, Honestly Charles What Are You Thinking, M/M, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-13 02:03:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7958101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Logan watched as his colleague Charles found an old flame on their flight. It was not the flight he had planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For These Two Men (The 37,000 Foot Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [novera_nope](https://archiveofourown.org/users/novera_nope/gifts).
  * Inspired by [For these two men](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7483755) by [novera_nope](https://archiveofourown.org/users/novera_nope/pseuds/novera_nope). 



The gate was a sea of people looking on anxiously as the flight attendants and crew busied themselves in preparation for the incoming plane.

People were usually nervous when flying, but Logan had never had that problem. Probably because he never had a fear of dying on a flight. On his left, his colleague, Charles Xavier, sat nervously in his wheelchair, fidgeting.

“Chuck, it’s fine. You’ve planned for this for nearly four months. Not only was the airport ready to accommodate you, but all the hotels and the conference will be too. You can stop worrying.”

Charles let out a laugh. “That’s not why I’m nervous, Logan, but thank you. I just realized someone I hadn’t seen in years is on our flight and _he’s_ rather nervous.”

Logan rarely heard Charles talk about any other friends than the ones they shared. “What sort of someone is this?” He was curious about the other man because he had all the time to think through what might have been and what could be, and he rather liked confirmation at some point. 

“An ex,” Charles whispered. Then mentally he added, _We didn’t end on the best of terms and I’ve managed to avoid him for ten years. I’d rather like to not be forced into talking to him._

Logan let a smile widen at the news of Charles having any ex with whom he had parted on less than civil terms.

This guy must be someone truly unique.

“Well, let’s hope that you don’t have to see him for too long.” Logan felt as if he might be dooming the flight, but he let Charles relax as their plane arrived at the gate.

-

As the flight was preparing to board, Logan watched as Charles started to wheel himself to the line of Executive Class members and one family with a child in a stroller waiting to board early. He had not planned on having to pay too much attention to anyone there, but a man standing near him said, “You have adamantium grafted to your skeleton.”

Logan looked up to see a businessman in a neat suit, with a short close-cropped haircut and a hard expression. “Yes. You got a problem with it?”

“No,” the man said, “but it’s hard not to notice with my mutation. I can control magnetic fields. Metal, too.”

“Well, isn’t that charming.”

“Yes,” Charles said, “Erik, how nice to see you again.” 

Oh. This guy -- Erik -- was Charles’ ex. Who could control Logan’s entire body. This turned the flight into a rather interesting one.

“Charles, I didn’t see you. Apologies.” Erik looked a bit ashamed at missing Charles, but Logan let it pass. In all their years as colleagues, Logan had watched more than one person ignore Charles because of his disability.

“Well, you wouldn’t recognize the chair.” Charles paused. “You look well.”

“I am, thank you. Well, I’ll let you and your colleague get back to your business. Have a safe trip.”

Erik turned on his heel away from Logan and Charles, looking as if he wanted to put the run-in with Charles behind him.

_Oh, Erik very much would like to not remember me. We didn’t end well. Car accident that left me without the use of my legs, even with his mutation. Despite his ability to control metal, his reflexes weren’t quick enough to slow the impact of the other car, nor was he able to stop the piece of plastic that sliced into my spine._

Well, shit.

_Let’s not worry about that. I hope we’re boarding soon._

“Thank you, Logan,” Charles said aloud, though Logan was confused as to why Charles felt the need to state that aloud. Just as Logan was about to reply, a flight attendant said, “We’re ready to board all our first class passengers, as well as Executive Club members and customers with special needs.”

Time to get this flight started and over with. Especially with a guy who could tear apart the plane with a single thought.

-

Logan appreciated having a window seat in first class with Charles on the aisle. Of course, it also meant that if Charles needed to get anywhere in the plane before they landed, Logan would assist him in getting there by carrying Charles to wherever he needed to go. Charles rather hated the idea, but it was the most practical one, as there wasn’t a chair that was both wide enough to fit Charles while still being maneuverable through the plane.

“Logan, we need to go towards the back of the plane,” Charles said, seemingly at random as the plane coasted at altitude.

“Why?”

“My ex, well, he’s about to have a panic attack. If I don’t talk him down, he’ll bring the plane down.”

“How can you tell? The plane doesn’t feel unsteady.”

“No, it’ll take a while longer for Erik’s control to slip, but not too much longer. We must get back there. The passengers near him are trying to decide if they should press a call button.”

“Sure thing, Charles. You know him better than I do.”

“Yes, and if we want to keep the plane safe, we need to go now.”

Logan complied and helped get Charles to where Erik was seated, just in the bulkhead of the main cabin behind not only first class, but business elite as well.

-

Logan knew that there would be a few looks from passengers as he carried a man in his arms towards the back of the plane, but he had done this with Charles before and never regretted how he could help Charles.

Of course, it would have been easier for them to take one of Charles’ many family jets, but Logan knew how much Charles hated relying on the Xavier fortune for something like travel to a conference.

Right now, Logan wanted one of those planes just to avoid the panicked and ashen face of Erik.

“Erik, I need you to look at me,” Charles said calmly. 

Logan just shot the rest of the people near them a look that could kill and continued to hold onto Charles.

 _Let me sit in his lap,_ Charles mentally said, and Logan wanted to protest, but stopped himself. Erik looked worse than he had just a minute before, sweat beading at his hairline.

Logan carefully put Charles in Erik’s lap, but stayed close. Charles’ mind still felt like it was at the back of Logan’s mind, but less intent on following what Logan felt and said.

 _Erik, I need you to calm down. We’re in a plane. I know you don’t want to crash this. You have_ , and here Charles paused, _You have a woman who cares for you deeply. And I see you care for her too._

Logan knew Charles well, but never imagined that Charles would use his telepathy with a man he hadn’t seen in ten years. Logan hadn’t known many of Charles’ old flames, but he also couldn’t imagine Charles just allowing himself access to a mind like that without fair warning. Perhaps Logan’s impression of Charles had been misguided. It felt that way as Logan was given access to the conversation between Charles and Erik.

Quickly looking around, Logan saw that the rest of the passengers were ignoring Charles in Erik’s lap. In fact, the rest of the passengers looked as if nothing had been wrong moments before. They all appeared to think nothing was out of the ordinary: reading, watching movies, sleeping.

Logan felt that he should look back at Charles and Erik now that he felt as if the rest of the plane ignored them.

_Erik, listen to me. Your girlfriend, Eva, she does love you. You shouldn’t worry about me -- running into me -- when you’re on your way to propose to her. Calm yourself._

Logan vaguely felt a command in Charles’ last statement, as if Charles were willing the entire plane to calm down. It would not shock Logan in the least if Charles did that, as the looks he caught as he stood by were confused and starting to get frightened as Erik’s grip on his armrests started to rattle a few other nearby fixtures. Logan felt himself inching closer to Erik as Charles worked.

_Just breathe, Erik. In. Out. In. Out._

Logan watched as Erik finally followed Charles’ commands, his chest rising and falling.

_That’s better Erik. You’re safe. You’re fine. Let go._

Charles now looked uncomfortable on Erik’s lap after all this time, so Logan moved slowly to pick him back up.

_No, let me stay for another minute. He’s nearly calm enough to not be a danger to the plane. I’ve been keeping the pilot informed, and he’d like me to stay and make sure we won’t need to make an emergency landing._

_Sure thing, Chuck. But be sure to be clear on what’s happening._

Charles smirked. _Don’t worry, Logan. Erik knows we’ve been over long before we saw each other today. Seeing me just shook his conviction._

Logan rather doubted that Erik was questioning the engagement just because he saw Charles, but he kept that thought from Charles as best he could.

Instead of saying anything else, Logan simply waited as Charles caressed Erik’s hair back into place and pressed down the wrinkles in Erik’s shirt and jacket.

 _Just let me know when I need to get you. I’m going call for a drink,_ Logan told him.

 _Of course. Thanks,_ Charles said before he started to murmur something to Erik.

Logan let them have their moment, because he had nothing to do. He wouldn’t leave Charles to have Erik walk him back to first class, not just because Logan doubted Erik’s body could carry Charles all the way, but because Logan didn’t trust Charles not to manipulate anything else for the rest of the flight.

A flight attendant walked up and asked Logan for his drink order before leaving again. Minutes passed before Charles said, _I think Erik’s recovered enough that suggesting he sleep for the rest of the flight won’t be unwelcome._

_He’ll let you do that?_

_Erik’s let me do many things to him; this isn’t out of our norm._

_Whatever,_ Logan said before he reached down to pick Charles up off Erik’s lap. It was an easy walk back to their seats and once Charles was situated again, Logan let himself sink into his chair to relax.

“Logan, I know you think you know me, but there are many things I keep very close to the vest. Erik knows me better than you do, even if we haven’t seen each other in years. I haven’t done anything today that we hadn’t agreed to years ago.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“No, I rather think it wasn’t, but that’s all you’ll have from me today on the subject. Now, let’s relax for the rest of the flight.”

Logan simply nodded before he closed his eyes and allowed himself some peace.

-

While being the first on a plane was a luxury Logan liked, being the last off was hell. Charles refused to have Logan put Charles into his wheelchair where people could watch, and so they were forced to watch all the other people walk off the plane. 

Logan hadn’t noticed Erik leaving, and when he looked back down the aisle, Erik was still seated.

 _He wants to say something,_ Charles said.

Huffing out a breath, Logan waited as Erik walked slowly towards them. 

“Thank you for earlier,” Erik said.

“It wasn’t a problem. You know I’ve done it before.”

“But that was before....” Erik trailed off.

“It doesn’t change what we said then. I’ll always help you.”

“You shouldn’t,” Erik said defiantly.

“Well, that’s for me to decide and not for you. Have a good trip, Erik.”

Logan had nothing to add, but he did stand up, ready to get Charles off the plane and to the rest of their week.

Erik nodded, but said nothing else, which suited Logan just fine after all the extra drama he’d brought into the trip.

_You enjoy drama and don’t say otherwise. Stop being a sourpuss because someone’s more trusted by me than you are._

Logan smirked, picking Charles up with more of jerk than needed and left the plane, relieved to be gone.

Whether Charles or Erik felt the same way, Logan didn’t want to know.

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to {redacted} for the beta help.


End file.
